Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-08-05
BITTEN BY A RATHER.
Prof. Leon Dnllicd with the Reptil
for Amusement.

TOT Amusefnent.
Prof Charles Leon, rowing chirop,
odist. who recently arrived from Gin
cinnati, had an experience with live
Rocky mountain rattlesnake last even
ing which will very likely result in the
loss OF his life. says The 81. Louis Globe
Democrat. Some two or three weeks
since John Sommerville. proprietor of
saloon ut No. ll6 South Seventh
street. took fancy to well-developed
rattler which two railroad men carried
into his saloon, well secured in a wood
IN box with glass cover. He thought
il would be good idea to have the
reptile in his saloon. knowing, no
doubt, that he had snakes of another
variety corked up in the bottles on his
shelf. The railroad hands were not
particularly fond of the snake, and
readily accepted the offer made them
by Sommerville. He placed the case
covering the dangerous snake on
table in his saloon, where it attracted
good-sized crowd daily and aided
materially in swelling the receipts of
the house. Prof. Leon happened along,
and, seeing the reptile coiled in his
corral informed Mr.. Sommorvlle that
he could tame snakes with the same
ease and facility which he removed
corn or a bunion. killed the roots, and
prevented their temperance upon the
feet of their victims. Mr.. Sommerville
on receipt of that bit of information.
told the professor that the RATHER was
very savage member of the snake
family and that it would rather bite
people than eat Prof. Leon replied
that there was no science in train
ing harmless snakes, and added
the more savage and dangerous the
better. He called ut the saloon
daily and convinced the dispenser
of drinks that he was not afraid of the
snake, caressed il. stroked its shiny
cuticle. and manifested in other ways
that the RATHER was not as bad as he
was pictured. In handling his snake
ship the professor was very cautious
not to place his hands near the mouth.
He called freqently and seemed to be-
come better acquainted with the Rocky
mountain terror with each visit. Mr.
Sommerville appreciated the services
of the chlropodist and placed the best
drinks the house afforded at his dispos-
al. Last evening Prof. Icons expert
ence demonstrated the truth of the old
time-honored saying: "It's long lane
that has no turning" He had beard
ed the snake in his den daily for nearly
weeks without so much as getting 4
scratch or rebuff from the captive
reptile. Last evening between and z
o clock, he walked into the saloon in
company with friend. said to be an
attache of the Crystal Palace theater.
and told the proprietor that he would
remove the snakes fangs, and make
him perfectly harmless, so much SO that
the children could caress it with impu
nity. and that without any fear as to
the consequences From all accounts
Icons friend argued that it would be
foolish to undertake it, and tried to
dissuade him from carrying out his rash
intention. The little party in the mean
time took few drinks. Leon insisted
that there was no danger, and raising
the cover watched for an opportunity
to seize the reptile, which lay coiled in
the corner CT its prison. Getting his
lief, thumb and right index finger in
position, he told the spectators to watch
him and that they would soon see the
snake deprived of his dangerous pos
session. His idea was no doubt to
sieze the reptile on both sides
of its head and thus keep its
mouth open until the fangs could be
extracted. What happened is told in
few words He thrust his thumb and
finger in the snakes mouth. and be-
fore he could withdraw them the We
nomous serpent fastened its fangs in
the flesh. Whether the snake raised its
head when the professor made the at
tempt to keep from b ting, or whether
the disaster was dle to hs nervous
ness. no one could tell. When he ierked
his hand from the box the snake had
n tg ht hold on his flesh and was lifted
almost bodily from the box. The blood
trickled in three streams from the
poisoned wounds. and Leon. who had
turned deathly pale, asked for whisky
10 counteract the effects of the poison.
The proprietor had bottle on tho
counter in an instant and poured
goodsized drink into the sufferer.
Icons friend hurried for a physician
and returned with DIR. Coryel. The
latter applied the usual remedies and
bandaged the wounds. Leon soon be-
came very sick. and he was delrious
in fifteen minutes after he had been
bitten. He tore the bandages from his
fingers and when asked il he would